In dwelling construction, particularly with single family homes, townhouses and condominiums, there has been increasing use of factory-built, prefabricated metal chimneys for use with interior fireplaces, wood stoves, and even with normal oil or gas fired furnaces. These chimneys vent the spent gas from the fireplace, stove or furnace to the atmosphere normally at a legislated height above the roof of the residence.
Depending on the location of the fireplace, stove or furnace, these chimneys may extend horizontally through a sidewall of the dwelling before extending vertically along the outside wall of the dwelling to the predetermined height or they may extend through an interior wall of the dwelling into a utility room or attached garage before extending vertically through the roof of the dwelling. A substantial portion of the vertical portion of the chimney may be within the dwelling itself.
In either instance, it is normal procedure to support the vertical portion of the chimney with a support plate which is proximate to the position where the chimney changes direction from the horizontal to the vertical, See FIG. 1. It is also normal practice in the industry to provide for a cap or plug on the lower portion of the vertical section of a chimney known as the cleanout tee to facilitate the removal of accumulated soot and debris on a regular basis. Normal procedure is for either a frictionally-engaged end cap or plug or a cap secured by circumferential set screws to be placed at the bottom of the vertical section of the chimney, below the horizontal portion. This cap can be removed and soot and other accumulated debris can be cleaned out or can fall naturally under the influence or gravity to a container for removal.
Since the combustion process generates corrosive gases, these end caps, and in particular, the screws which secure them, deteriorate to the point where the screws rust permitting the end cap to fall off or the end cap itself deteriorates such that the end cap is capable of falling off.
If the end cap falls out the homeowner is faced with the consequences of having possible noxious and toxic fumes exit the chimney within the dwelling place. It may also subject the dwelling to a fire hazard if the cleanout tee is located proximate to the fireplace, stove or furnace such that hot gases would exit the cleanout tee, in turn igniting flammable material proximate to the chimney. This may include the exterior sidewall of the dwelling unit.
Representative of the art is U.S. Pat. No. 4,838,243 which discloses a chimney lock attachable to the support plate of a prefabricated metal chimney having vertically downwardly depending cleanouts, the cleanouts being enclosed by an end cap, the lock comprising an adjustable, planer, longitudinal bar removably or rotatably secured to the support plate and positioned to frictionally engage and secure the end cap of the chimney cleanout.
What is needed is a chimney tee cap retainer comprising an adjustable assembly having at least two sprung members for releasably attaching the cap to a chimney tee. The present invention meets this need.